Sports implements are used in various sports to strike, propel, or otherwise move a puck, ball, or other object.
For example, in hockey, a player uses a hockey stick to move, pass, and shoot a puck or ball during a game. Notably, the hockey stick comprises a shaft for holding by the player and a blade for handling the puck or ball. When not in use, it is generally desirable to have a manner in which to display and/or store the hockey stick. For instance, a retailer may wish to display a selection of hockey sticks at a point of sale (e.g., a store), or in some cases, the player may wish to display his/her hockey stick(s) at home.
A hockey stick's structure may not provide many options for displaying and/or storing thereof. For example, traditionally, retailers display their selection of hockey sticks on a rack on which the hockey sticks may be disposed vertically by standing each hockey stick on its blade, or in other cases, on a wall support on which the hockey sticks may be disposed horizontally and supported on their shafts. Other variations of display and storage solutions exist, but in general, they involve supporting the hockey stick on its shaft and/or its blade.
Similar issues often arise in other sports, such as lacrosse, in which players use sticks or other sports implements.
For these and other reasons, there is a need for improvements in hockey sticks and other sports implements.